CHICO — How Black Friday shopping will play out is anyone’s guess with sadness over the Camp Fire looming and rain in the weather mix.

At least one Chico retailer has changed its plans.

Walmart will be open Thanksgiving morning at 6 a.m., but will close at noon, according to a company employee, who said the change was linked to “public safety concerns.”

“We’re not having Black Friday sale because of public safety concerns,” he told the Enterprise-Record.

Walmart, like other big box stores, regularly opens for a full day of shopping on Thanksgiving.

The employee, who answered the phone, said he couldn’t say more than what the company allowed, and couldn’t go further into what concerns the company had. Contact with the corporate offices could not be made on Wednesday.

Walmart is changing its Thanksgiving Day hours for the store in Chico. For what an employee called, "public safety concerns" the retailer, seen Tuesday in Chico, will be open 6 a.m. to noon Thursday and regular business hours Friday. (Makayla Hopkins -- Enterprise-Record)

Walmart employees sort boxes Tuesday in Chico. The retailer is not having its annual Black Friday sale in Chico, according to an employee who answered the phone. (Makayla Hopkins -- Enterprise-Record)

Walmart employees sort boxes Tuesday in Chico. For what an employee called, "public safety concerns" the retailer will be open 6 a.m. to noon Thursday and regular business hours Friday. (Makayla Hopkins -- Enterprise-Record)

Since the Camp Fire evacuation, a tent city had sprung up in Walmart’s parking lot and adjacent dirt field. Trailers and motor homes had moved into the expansive lot as well. Campers said they were told to leave the Walmart area, but no entity took responsibility for the urging. Many were still camped out as the rain started falling.

The city has said it can’t control what happens on private property, but has been encouraging the evacuees to go to a designated shelter, primarily at the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley. B-Line buses have been available for free transport.

Other area Walmarts said they would be open the regular Thanksgiving schedule, which ends at 12 a.m. Friday. On Friday, Walmart will open at its regular time, 6 a.m.

Many retailers could be thinking the rain will encourage shoppers to hit the holiday buying at home, online. With Black Friday deals nearly year-round, the tradition of deeply-discounted prices the day after Thanksgiving has lost its impact.

A variety of retailers will be open on Thanksgiving, including Kmart, J.C. Penney and Target.

Target spokesperson Robert Loughead said the store will open Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. and that hours haven’t changed because of the evacuation. However he noted the store installed extra outdoor lights, portable toilets, and security during the evacuation.